Peripheral Review: Samsung Galaxy S5

Samsung recently announced the completion of it new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S5. The GS5 was the talk of the town at the Mobile World Conference, and the following stats do certainly deliver as components of the Korean-based company’s next market gladiator.

Screen: 8/10

The Galaxy S5’s screen increased 4% from last year’s model at 5.1” FHD Super AMOLED display (1920×1080) with a pixel density of 432ppi. Notable about these specs is their mimesis to the GS4’s display. Perhaps this is because any higher resolution is simply unnecessary at current; nonetheless it remains mostly unchanged. The real estate available for the screen is immense and with the interface design changes, including a more generic and simple font and a less high-impact display, we’ll find the GS5 much more approachable and clean at rest. According to the listing on Verizon Wireless, it appears that carriers are looking to the impressive display of the flagship as a selling point. And along with its processors and operating system, this phone should definitely improve upon the GS4.

Chipset and OS: 10/10

The Galaxy S5 runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat, in keeping with Samsung’s trend of releasing new flagships with the latest version of Android. KitKat is more than capable of supporting the smattering of HD games available. Owners can expect seamless navigation between open applications and their preferred games, no matter the complexity. The smartphone comes equipped with a 2.5GHz Qualcomm SnapDragon 801 quad-core processor, available on LTE models, an improvement to the SnapDragon 600 quad in the Galaxy S4.

Availability of Games: 10/10

The Galaxy S5 supports Google Play, and as a result has access to the most current and innovative games available. Not only are the games simply available, but according to MobileSyrup, the GS5 will come with up to $600 worth of in-app freebies, and this includes in-app game purchases from certain titles. That’s a pretty sweet deal considering how common the in-app purchase, or microtransaction, has become on most major titles. So, not only will the games be available, but some of them will include trial versions on the dime of Samsung.

Battery Life: 10/10

The GS5 offers significantly better battery specs than in the past. The flagship boasts approximately 11 hours video playback and 10 hours of web use, packing a removable 2800mAh. The battery storage is already up by 200mAh from the Galaxy S4’s 2600mAh battery, but the GS5 continues to deliver with an Ultra Power Saving Mode. With the feature turned on, the GS5 will enter Ultra Power Saving Mode when its battery hits a critical level. The display will turn black and white and the smartphone will cease unnecessary background processes, leading to Samsung’s claim that the GS5 can remain active for up to 24 hours on a 10% charge. That’s an incredible stat that many may find to come in real handy.

The battery power and chipset alone are enough to set the GS5 up for success amongst the gaming community, even if the owner doesn’t consider him/herself a gamer at all. With that extra boost, Samsung’s latest installment in their flagship series of phones earns a solid 9/10.